Electrocuting mouse trap with automatic chamber-clearing mechanism and access control mechanism

ABSTRACT

An electronic mouse trap is provided having multiple kill and automatic killing chamber clearing capabilities. The trap includes an elevated killing chamber rotatably mounted on a base that houses a collection bin positioned under the chamber and which has an entrance pathway that provides mice with access to the chamber. Upon completion of a killing cycle and the killing of a mouse, the chamber is automatically rotated by a gear motor to an inverted position, allowing the dead mouse to fall downwardly into the collection bin. During such rotation, the entrance pathway if blocked to prevent access to the trap by a next mouse. Once the chamber has been inverted and the mouse removed by gravity, the gear motor reverses the rotation direction and returns the chamber to its upright position, opening the entrance pathway such that the trap is ready to reinitiate the killing cycle for another mouse.

This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Ser. No.12/213,382, filed Jun. 18, 2008, and hereby claims the priority thereofto which the present application is entitled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to the field of rodent control and,more particularly, to an electronic mouse trap for electrocuting andcollecting a plurality of mice between trap service events.

2. Description of the Related Art

Electronic mouse traps of various designs have been used effectively tocatch and dispatch mice, usually on a single kill cycle basis afterwhich the trap must be manually reset. If the mouse escaped during thekill cycle, the killing opportunity can be lost and the trap is renderedinactive pending service by the user. One trap that is capable ofautomatically rearming in the event of mouse escape is set forth in U.S.Pat. No. 6,836,999 (“the '999 patent”), the disclosure of which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forthherein.

Even with automatic rearming so that, in the event of mouse escape,multiple killing opportunities are possible, once a mouse is killed thetrap enters a standby mode and must be manually reset, and the deadmouse must be removed before the trap can reinitiate the killing cycleprocess. Therefore, only one mouse can be dispatched before trapservicing is required. As a result, the trap may sit in the standby modefor an extended period if trap status is not monitored regularly,resulting in an inefficiency in total mouse kills as compared withpossible kill opportunities present in a target rich area.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, one object of the present invention is toovercome the difficulties of monitoring the status of an electronicmouse trap on a timely basis so that the trap can be automaticallyemptied and reset with minimal trap down time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronicmouse trap having automatic rearming capability that is able to kill andretain a plurality of mice before trap servicing is required.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an electronicmouse trap having a killing chamber emptying capability that opens thechamber for the next mouse and minimizes the risk of chamber foulingthat might discourage subsequent mice from entering the chamber.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an electronicmouse trap having a rotating killing chamber that inverts to empty eachelectrocuted mouse as soon as it is killed, reducing the energy neededto empty the chamber and ensuring reliable and cost-effective operation.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide anelectronic mouse trap in accordance with the preceding objects with analternative roof assembly embodiment including a door that automaticallycloses off entrance to the trap when the killing chamber is rotating toempty the chamber.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide anelectronic mouse trap that allows for easy mouse carcass removal from acollection bin as well as ready access to the killing chamber forcleaning thereof when servicing is performed.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an electronicmouse trap that is not complex in structure and which can bemanufactured at low cost but yet efficiently kills and contains multiplemice without requiring user intervention.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide anelectronic mouse trap that is simple and safe to operate with a compactsize that is suitable for a wide range of mouse trapping environmentsand also readily approachable by mice in these environments.

In accordance with these and other objects, the present invention isdirected to an electronic mouse trap that is capable of effectingmultiple kills and of clearing the killing chamber between kills so thata plurality of dead mice can be accumulated before trap servicing isrequired. The trap includes an elevated killing chamber rotatablymounted on a base that houses a collection bin located below the killingchamber. The trap also includes an entrance pathway that provides micewith access to the killing chamber when the killing chamber is in a homeposition. The chamber is provided with a plurality of killing plates andis operative generally in the manner set forth in the '999 patentpreviously incorporated herein by reference.

According to the present invention, upon completion of the kill cycle,the killing chamber is rotated by a power-driven rotating assembly,preferably embodied as a gear motor, about a longitudinal axis that isslightly below the floor of the chamber. The chamber rotatesapproximately 180 degrees to a dump position so as to be inverted,allowing the dead mouse to fall downwardly by gravity into thecollection bin. Once the chamber has been inverted and the mouse removedby gravity, the power-driven rotating assembly reverses the rotationdirection and returns the chamber to its upright home position where thekilling chamber is again accessible via the entrance pathway and thetrap is ready for the next mouse.

According to a preferred alternative embodiment of the roof assembly,the present invention includes a door mechanism that, in response tochamber rotation upon completion of the kill cycle, blocks the entrancepathway to prevent mice from entering the trap while the chamberperforms a dump cycle. The chamber rotates approximately 180 degrees tothe dump position so as to be inverted, allowing the dead mouse to falldownwardly by gravity into the collection bin, and then the power-drivenrotating assembly reverses the rotation direction and returns thechamber to its upright home position while simultaneously opening thedoor mechanism, where the killing chamber is again accessible via theentrance pathway and the trap is ready for the next mouse.

The foregoing objects and advantages of the present invention, whichwill become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of constructionand operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of an electrocuting mouse trapwith turnover chamber-clearing mechanism in accordance with the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the trap of FIG. 1, shown with atransparent roof to reveal the underlying components.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the back side of the trap of FIG. 1,without the roof, and indicating the mouse entry pathways provided onthe base.

FIG. 4 is an exploded schematic view of the components of the trap ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the base shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a multikill circuit in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic illustrations of an electronic circuitwith automatic dump sequence in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged exploded view of the power source assembly shownin FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the collection bin shown in FIG. 4.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are enlarged perspective top and bottom views,respectively, of the roof assembly shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 10C is a side cutaway view of an alternative embodiment of the roofassembly according to the present invention including multiple lidbaffles.

FIGS. 10D and 10E are enlarged perspective top and bottom views,respectively, of the roof assembly of the alternative embodiment shownin FIG. 10C, showing the multiple lid baffles as well as the door forcovering the entranceway according to the alternative embodiment.

FIGS. 10F and 10G are enlarged perspective views taken from the frontand rear sides, respectively, of the trap with the alternativeembodiment roof assembly shown in FIGS. 10C-10E, with a transparent roofto show the roof and floor baffles which create a mouse path through thetrap.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged exploded view of the assembly forming the killingchamber shown in FIG. 4, but shown in reverse.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of the power-driven rotatingassembly shown in FIG. 4, but shown at a slightly different perspective.

FIGS. 13A and 13B are enlarged perspective and end views, respectively,of the wire guide shown in FIG. 4.

FIGS. 14A and 14B present a flowchart of an electronic circuit withautomatic dump sequence in accordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 15A through 15F are rear perspective views of the trap as shown inFIG. 3, illustrating the dump sequence of the killing chamber.

FIGS. 16A through 16E are sectional perspective views of the trap ofFIG. 1 going through a dump sequence.

FIGS. 17A through 17D are end perspective views of the trap of FIG. 1going through a dump sequence.

FIG. 18 is a partial perspective view of the underside of the roofassembly with the killing chamber in the dump position.

FIGS. 19A through 19C are sectional perspective views of the trap withthe alternative embodiment of the roof assembly illustrated in FIGS.10C-10G, and showing the door over the entranceway to the trapautomatically closing as the killing chamber moves to the dump position.

FIGS. 20A and 20B are further perspective views of the trap illustratedin FIGS. 10C-10G showing the chamber in the home position with the doorover the entranceway to the trap in the fully opened position with thetrap ready for use.

FIGS. 20C and 20D are further perspective views following in sequencefrom FIGS. 20A and 20B showing the chamber beginning to rotate and thedoor over the entranceway to the trap beginning to close.

FIGS. 20E and 20F are further perspective views of the following insequence from FIGS. 20C and 20D showing further rotation of the chambersuch that the door over the entranceway to the trap reaches its fullyclosed position.

FIGS. 21A and 21B present a flowchart of an alternative electroniccircuit with automatic dump sequence in accordance with the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Although only one preferred embodiment of the invention is explained indetail, it is to be understood that the embodiment is given by way ofillustration only. It is not intended that the invention be limited inits scope to the details of construction and arrangement of componentsset forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.Also, in describing the preferred embodiments, specific terminology willbe resorted to for the sake of clarity. It is to be understood that eachspecific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in asimilar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the present invention is directed to anelectronic trap for electrocuting and collecting multiple mice, the trapgenerally designated by the reference numeral 10. The trap 10 includes abase 20, a power source assembly 30, a collecting bin 40, a roofassembly 50, a killing chamber assembly 60, a power-driven rotatingassembly 70, a home switch 80, a dump switch 160, a bin-in-place safetyswitch 180, and a wire guide 90.

Perspective front and top views of the trap in an assembled, operationalcondition are provided in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the roof being transparentin FIG. 2 for the purpose of showing the underlying parts; suchtransparency is not part of the actual trap. FIG. 3 presents aperspective view of the rear side of the trap, without the roof. Thetrap components are shown in exploded view in FIG. 4.

The base 20 shown in FIG. 5 includes a substantially horizontal floor102 with a rear wall 103 extending vertically therefrom, parallel to thelong axis of the base 20. Inclined stairs 101, which provide pathways 22for a mouse to reach the killing chamber assembly 60, are preferablyformed into the rear wall 103. According to a preferred embodiment, twosets of stairs 101 extend from the top 21 of the base 20 to oppositesides of the rear wall 103 of the base so that mice can begin ascendingfrom either side. In this way, the trap 10 can be positioned with itsrear side up against a building or other wall such that mice runningalong the wall from either side will naturally be inclined to proceedupwardly when faced with the stairs and move toward the entrance to thechamber. An inclined ramp or other structure known to be readilytraversable by mice could also be used in place of the stairs.

The top 21 of the base also supports the home switch 80. The home switch80, along with the dump switch 160, functions to provide input to thepower-driven rotating assembly 70 regarding the orientation of thekilling chamber assembly 60 as between the home and dump positions, aswill be discussed hereinafter.

The base 20 also includes a collecting bin area 108 and an electronicsand motor area 107 that houses the circuit board, shown at a functionallevel in the block diagram of FIG. 6. The circuit board includes a mousedetection circuit 150, a high voltage output circuit 152, amicrocontroller 154, and a motor controller 156 coupled to the homeswitch 80 and dump switch 160. A detailed schematic view of thesecomponents is set forth in FIGS. 7A and 7B. The electronics and motorarea 107 also houses the motor 504, the power source assembly 30including batteries 162, and other electronic components (not shown) ofthe trap.

The electronics and motor area 107 is separated from the bin area 108 byan internal vertical wall 106. The top 17 of the wall 106 has raisedstrips 18 on one side to receive and support the roof wall 204 describedhereinafter. Extending upwardly from between the strips 18 and in spacedrelationship with one another are two mounting arms 19 that are used tosecure the power-driven rotating assembly 70, as will be describedhereinafter.

A first side wall 109 spaced from the internal wall 106 provides theouter wall for the electronics and motor area 107 and defines a firstend, generally designated by the reference numeral 23, of the base 20. Asecond side wall 104, spaced on the opposite side from the internal wall106, defines the other side of the bin area and also the second end,generally designated by the reference numeral 24, of the base 20. Thesecond side wall 104 contains a concave, half-cylindrical bearingsurface 105 to accept a first tubular element 309 which defines a firstend of the chamber's axis of rotation 308 (see FIG. 11). An elevatedwall 110 spaced from and attached to the second side wall 104 by anelevated floor portion 26 defines a wire containment area 111 on saidsecond end 24.

As just described, the electronics and motor area 107 is bounded onthree sides by the rear wall 103, the first side wall 109 and theinternal wall 106 of the base 20. To fully enclose the electronics andmotor area, a front panel 401 (see FIG. 8) of the power source assembly30 is fastened to the base 20 to cover the open side generallydesignated by the reference numeral 31 of the electronics and motor area107.

As shown in FIG. 8, the power source assembly 30 preferably includes acompartment 402 for batteries 162 with an open side generally designatedby the reference numeral 32 facing the front of the trap for access bythe user. The open side 32 of the battery compartment 402 is covered bya battery compartment cover 403 which is attached in a way that allowssuch cover 403 to be opened and reclosed by the user when the batteries162 need to be replaced. User controls, such as an on/off switch 34, mayalso be included in the front panel 401. Alternately, the power sourceassembly could include a suitable DC transformer equipped with aconventional power cord for connection to a standard household wallpower outlet.

Similarly to the electronics and motor area 107, the bin area 108 isbounded on three sides by the rear wall 103, the second side wall 104and the internal wall 106 of the base 20. The open side generallydesignated by the reference numeral 82 of the bin area receives thecollecting bin 40 which includes a bin 801 and a handle 802, as shown inFIG. 9. The collecting bin 40 is installed by sliding the bin 801 intothe base 20 with the handle 802 exposed toward the front side of thetrap and the open top 42 of the bin 801 facing the bottom of the chamberassembly 60. Through contact with the bin, the bin-in-place safetyswitch 180 is closed when the bin is fully inserted, enabling the trapto become active. When the bin is removed, the switch is opened,disabling the trap. The bin 801 is sized to be able to contain aplurality of mice, with various bins sizes being available toaccommodate more or fewer carcasses between emptying events. Accordingto one preferred embodiment, the bin is sized to contain about eight toten house mouse carcasses.

The roof assembly 50 is attached to the base 20 with screws or othersuitable fasteners and includes a substantially cylinder-shaped top 201(see FIG. 10A) that conceals the killing chamber of assembly 60, thusprotecting the user from contact with the electrocuting plates 303positioned therein (see FIG. 11). An entranceway, generally designatedby the reference numeral 209, on the rear side 52 of the top 201 mateswith the top 21 of stairs 101 and entry opening 306 of the killingchamber assembly (described hereinafter) to provide access to incomingmice.

To prevent mice from entering the bin 801 through the entranceway 209when the chamber assembly is moving to the inverted or dump position, analternative embodiment of the roof assembly is provided as shown inFIGS. 10C-10G and generally designated by reference numeral 51.According to the alternative roof assembly 51, a door 208 (see FIG. 10E)is provided to cover the entranceway 209 when the chamber assembly isout of the home position. The functioning of this alternative roofassembly embodiment is described hereinafter in connection with FIGS.19A-19C and FIGS. 20A-20F.

Extending perpendicularly from the inner surface 53 of the roof top 201are two roof walls 202 and 204, as best shown in FIG. 10B. The firstroof wall 202 contains a concave half-cylindrical bearing retentionsurface 203 that cooperates with base bearing surface 105 to form thefirst end of the chamber rotation axis 308 and, along with the secondside wall 104 of the base, defines one end of the wire containment area111. The second roof wall 204 has a flat bearing surface 205 thatcooperates with a motor support bracket 330 (see FIG. 11) to capture thepower-driven rotating assembly 70, as will be described hereinafter. Thesecond roof wall 204 also supports a door safety switch 243 and, alongwith the inner vertical wall 106, defines the inner barrier of theelectronics and motor area 107. The door safety switch 243 acts toenable and disable the power-driven rotating assembly 70, as will bedescribed later.

Mating surfaces 210 are provided on each end of the roof top 201 toaccept the rounded tops of side walls 109, 110 of the base 20.Projecting portion 211 extends perpendicularly to the floor 102 of thebase 20 in a position to cover the open front, generally designated bythe reference numeral 112, of the wire containment area 111 of the base,upon assembly of the roof assembly 50 to the base 20.

Access through the top 201 is provided by an opening, generallydesignated by the reference numeral 229, which is covered by a hingeddoor 231. The door 231 is supported on a generally rectangular base 233that may be integrally formed with or mounted on the top 201. Theunderside 235 of the door 231 is provided with a prong 237 and at leastone baffle 239 that project downwardly into the trap chamber. When thedoor 231 is closed, the prong 237 is received in an aperture 241 in thetop 201 where the prong contacts and depresses an actuation lever 207.The actuation lever 207, when depressed, closes the door safety switch243, enabling activation of the trap. When the door safety switch 243 isopened, i.e., when the door 231 is opened, the trap is disabled. Thedoor 231 covers the opening 229 during use of the trap, but it can beopened to allow access to the interior when necessary for trapservicing.

The baffle 239 on the underside 235 of the door 231 serves as ahalf-wall located between the first and second roof walls 202, 204. Thebaffle 239 corresponds in function with the cover-mounted barrier 80 setforth in the '999 patent and has a similar purpose, namely to force themouse to squeeze thereunder and thus come into contact with theelectrocuting plates 303 when entering the enclosure 301. Preferably,multiple lid baffles 239 are used as shown in FIGS. 10C, 10D, 10F and10G, which baffles effectively lock the mouse in position and virtuallyeliminate the chances of the mouse jumping back and off of the plates303. In the present invention, the baffles 239 are preferably formed aspart of the roof assembly 50 so that they do not interfere with the freefall of the mouse carcasses from the chamber floor into the bin 801 whenthe chamber assembly 60 is inverted.

The chamber assembly 60 is shown in exploded view in FIG. 11 (aspreviously noted, FIG. 11 shows the killing chamber assembly 60 from theback side of the trap, as in FIG. 3). The chamber assembly 60 includesan enclosure, generally designated by the reference numeral 301, forreceiving a mouse, a raised floor 302, electrocuting plates 303, atransformer 304 and associated wiring and fasteners (not all of whichare shown), and a motor support bracket generally designated by thereference numeral 330.

The enclosure 301 includes first and second longitudinal walls 61, 62joined at their ends to first and second lateral walls 63, 64,respectively. The longitudinal and lateral walls are substantiallyplanar. The outer surface of wall 62 is provided with a dump positionstop element 170 (see FIG. 4) that is operative with the dump switch 160to provide input to the power-driven rotating assembly 70 when thekilling chamber assembly 60 is in the full dump position. Similarly, theouter surface of the wall 61 has a home position stop element 171 thatcooperates with the home switch 80 to provide input to the power-drivenrotating assembly 70 when the killing chamber assembly 60 is in the homeposition.

The bottom of the enclosure is molded to include a half-cylindricaltrough 65 that receives the transformer 304 therein. The raised floor302 is fit between the lateral walls 63, 64 and the longitudinal walls61, 62, extending perpendicularly thereto, and is fastened in theenclosure 301 so as to cover the trough 65 and the transformer 304located therein, preventing the mouse from having any access to thewiring under the floor.

The electrocuting plates 303 are attached to an upper side 66 of thefloor 302 so as to be contacted by the mouse after its entry andprogress into the interior of the enclosure 301, and are electricallyconnected to the transformer 304 under the raised floor 302. Accordingto a preferred embodiment, three electrocuting plates 303 a, 303 b and303 c are included, although only two can also be used, plates 303 a and303 b. With the three-plate embodiment, the third plate 303 c ensuresthat a live mouse does not end up in the collection bin in the eventthat two mice enter the trap close together. For example, in a two-plateconfiguration having plates 303 a and 303 b, a first mouse to enter caninitiate the killing cycle while the second mouse, behind the first butadjacent the entrance 306, has not yet reached the two killing plates303 a, 303 b. With the three-plate embodiment, the third plate 303 c isconnected through a diode D9 (see FIG. 7A) so the sensing function isblocked by the diode but the shock potential is still conducted to thethird plate 303 c. The high voltage output circuit 152 will not betriggered by the third plate 303 c, however, so the first mouse has totravel to the far end of the chamber adjacent wall 64 before the trap isactivated.

Extending upwardly from the floor 302 are baffles or barriers 305 thatdirect the mouse in the manner fully set forth in the '999 patent,previously incorporated herein by reference. Details of the electricalconnections and operation are also set forth in the '999 patent andtherefore will not be repeated fully here.

Entry opening 306 is formed in the first longitudinal wall 61 to allowthe mouse to travel from the entranceway 209 of the roof assembly 50into the enclosure 301. In addition, the first longitudinal wall 61 hasa slot 307 formed therein that aligns with the baffle 239 in the roofassembly 50 when the trap is assembled, thus allowing the chamberassembly 60 to rotate without interference from the baffle 239.

The enclosure 301 has first and second substantially tubular elements309, 312 at opposite ends of the enclosure that define the chamberassembly's longitudinal axis of rotation 308 which is located a shortdistance below the raised floor 302. The first tubular element 309 islocated adjacent the second lateral wall 64 near the wire containmentarea 111 and has an outside surface that serves as the bearing surfacefor the first end of the chamber rotation axis 308. The first tubularelement 309 is also provided with an inner bore 311 (see FIG. 18) thatprovides a path for the electrical wires to pass from the enclosure 301to the wire containment area 111 of the base 20.

The second tubular element 312 is located adjacent the first lateralwall 63 near the entry opening 306. The outside surface of the secondtubular element 312 serves as the bearing surface at the second end ofthe chamber rotation axis 308. A D-shaped hole or bore 315 in the secondtubular element 312 accepts a correspondingly shaped output shaft 507from the gear motor 505 (see FIG. 12) in order to transmit torque fromthe shaft 507 to the chamber assembly 60 so that the chamber assemblyrotates when the gear motor output shaft turns, as will be describedmore fully hereinafter.

The chamber assembly 60 further includes the motor support bracket 330,having a mounting plate 331 and a U-shaped support member 332. Each sideof the mounting plate 331 has a slot 333 formed therein to receive arespective one of the two mounting arms 19 that project upwardly fromthe base wall 106. The U-shaped support member 332 has a semi-circularsupport surface 334 to receive the correspondingly shaped outer surfaceof a mounting adapter 501 (see FIG. 12) on the gear motor 505. Thecylindrical inner surface 335 of the mounting plate 331 in turn receivessemi-circular flanges 521 on the power-driven rotating assembly 70 (seeFIG. 12).

The preferred power-driven rotating assembly 70, shown in FIG. 12 (notethat FIG. 12 shows the power-driven rotating assembly rotated 180degrees with respect to the killing chamber assembly 60 as shown in FIG.11), includes the gear motor 505 mounted on a mounting adapter 501 thathas a hole 503 through which the gear motor output shaft 507 freelypasses. As previously noted, the mounting adapter 501 is provided withsemi-circular flanges 521 by which the adapter 501 is supported on theinner surface 335 of the mounting plate 331. The power-driven rotatingassembly 70 acts as a chamber clearing mechanism that is automaticallyactivated upon the killing of a mouse, as will be described hereinafter.

The home and dump switches 80, 160 are closed through respective contactengagement with the home and dump position stop elements 171, 170. Uponpowering up of the trap, the chamber assembly 60 seeks the home positionif the home position stop element 171 is not already engaged.

The wire guide, generally designated by the reference numeral 90, isshown in detail in FIGS. 13A and 13B and is used to route the wires thatsupply current to the transformer 304 from the wire containment area 111to the electronics and motor area 107. The wire guide 90 includes agenerally tubular member 92 having a longitudinally running channel 94passing through its length for containing and protecting the wires.Mounting elements 96 and 98 at each end of the tubular member 92 areprovided to mount the wire guide 90 to the front sides of the internalwall 106 and second side wall 104, respectively, of the base 20 (seeFIGS. 15E and 15F).

To assemble the trap 10, the home and dump switches 80, 160 and thebin-in-place safety switch 180 are mounted to the base first, followedby the chamber assembly 60. Wires for supplying current to thetransformer 304 are routed from the wire containment area 111 throughthe channel 94 in the tubular member 92 of the wire guide 90 and intothe electronics and motor area 107. The wire guide is then mounted tothe base, and the circuit board and the power supply are inserted.Lastly, the roof assembly is secured in place, including attachment ofthe wiring connecting the circuit board to the door safety switch 243.

When assembled, the second tubular element 312 is supported by a plainbearing 317 resting on an inner surface (not shown) of the mountingplate 331. The first tubular element 309 is supported on the concavebearing surface 203 of wall 202.

The roof assembly 50 is aligned with the base 20 such that the secondwall 104 and the internal wall 106 of the base and the roof walls 202,204 are respectively aligned and in abutment with one another. Thehalf-cylindrical bearing surfaces 203 and 105 of the roof and the base,respectively, with plain bearing 319, thereby form a full-cylindricalbearing area for the first tubular element 309 of the chamber assembly.

After assembly, the wire containment area 111 is essentially enclosed onall six sides, and the bin area and electronics and motor area areessentially enclosed on five sides, with the open sides 31 and 82,respectively, being uncovered until the power source assembly 30 andcollecting bin 40 are in place. The wire guide 90 is held in place bymounting fixtures on the base and/or roof assembly in any suitablemanner.

As already discussed, the power source assembly 30 is installed andfastened to cover the open side 31 of the electronics and motor area 107using conventional fastening elements. The collecting bin 40 isinstalled by sliding the bin 801 into the open side 82 of the bin area108 under the chamber assembly 60 with the handle exposed toward theoutside of the trap and the open side 42 of the bin 801 facing thebottom of the chamber assembly. As already discussed, the bin can beremoved or installed with the chamber in any position because thebin-in-place safety switch 180 disables the trap if the bin is not inplace, protecting the user from contact with the killing plates in acharged condition.

The precise wiring, controls and control logic can be variouslyundertaken to effect the desired rotation of the chamber assembly aswould be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingto a preferred embodiment, the chamber assembly 60 is turned upside-downto the dump position by applying voltage of appropriate polarity to thegear motor 505. Reversing the motion and returning the chamber to thehome position is accomplished by applying voltage of opposite polarity.The rotation angle is approximately 180 degrees from the upright toinverted positions. The chamber preferably reverses directions ratherthan continuing in the same direction to reset for two reasons. Firstly,the device can be made smaller if clearance is not required for thechamber to complete a full rotation. Secondly, the electrocuting platescan be connected to the control circuitry via inexpensive wires. Thesewires would gradually “wind up” and be damaged if complete rotationcycles were repeated.

In brief, as implemented in the circuit set forth in FIGS. 7A and 7B andsummarized in the flowchart of FIGS. 14A and 14B, trap operation isinitiated by turning on the power switch, step 500. The monitor systemLED flashes green, step 502, followed by a high voltage test, step 504.If the battery level is determined to be less than 4.5 volts, step 506,the LED blinks red on a predetermined basis, for example one blink everythree seconds, and the trap is disabled, step 508.

If the battery level is at least 4.5 volts, step 506, the trap entersthe main operating sequence, step 510. As an initial procedurethereafter, a catch counter which tracks the number of catches ischecked to see whether the total number of catches is equal to ten, step512. If the catch counter is equal to ten, the trap is considered fulland the trap full subsequence is entered, step 614.

Upon entry to the trap full subsequence, step 616, the yellow LED isactivated to flash on a predetermined basis, step 618, such as one blinkevery three seconds. The power to the trap must then be cycled to resetthe trap. Resetting the trap clears the catch counter and clears thereverse counter, step 620.

When the catch counter is not equal to ten, step 512, the battery levelis checked, step 514. If the battery level is less than 4.5 volts, theLED blinks red on a predetermined basis, for example one blink everythree seconds, and the trap is disabled, step 508.

If the battery level is at least 4.5 volts, step 514, the trap checkswhether the home limit switch is closed, step 516. If the home limitswitch is not closed, the return chamber subsequence is entered, step621, which is described hereinafter. If the home limit switch is closed,step 516, the trap checks to see whether a predetermined resistance offrom 10K ohm to 1M ohm is measured across the killing plates, step 520.This level or target range of resistance is known to correspond with theimpedance level resulting from the body of mouse across the plates.

If the resistance between the plates is measured to be within the targetrange, the trap goes to the high output subsequence, step 529. If thislevel of resistance is not sensed, however, the trap goes to sleep, step522. After a predetermined time, the trap wakes up, step 524, andreturns, step 526, to the main operating sequence, step 510.

Upon entry to the high output subsequence, step 530, the trap generatesa high voltage killing cycle, step 532. According to a preferredembodiment, the high voltage cycle includes the generation of highvoltage pulses having a peak magnitude of from about 4 kB to about 7 kV,and more preferably from about 6.5 kV to about 7 kV, and a duration offrom about 23 usec to about 28 usec at intervals of about every 4.25msec to about 4.5 msec for at least about 20 seconds. Upon completion ofthe killing cycle, the trap enters the check for kill subsequence, step534.

Upon entry to the check for kill subsequence, step 540, the trap againchecks to see whether there is an impedance between the killing platesin the range of about 10 k ohm to about 1M ohm, step 542. The absence ofsuch an impedance indicates that the mouse escaped. In this event, thecatch counter is checked to see whether it has a value greater thanzero, step 544. If not, the trap returns, step 546, directly to the mainoperating sequence, step 510. If the catch counter does have a valuegreater than zero, step 544, the green LED blinks on a predeterminedbasis, step 548, such as one blink every three seconds for seven days,and the trap returns, step 549, to the main operating sequence, step510. The flashing green LED allows the user to monitor the likelypresence of dead mice in the trap while the trap is still operational.

If an impedance in the target range is detected, step 542, thisindicates the mouse was killed or that a previously killed mouse was notremoved from the plates, step 550, following a dump sequence, as will bediscussed hereinafter. In this event, the trap enters thechamber-clearing or dump subsequence, step 552.

Upon entry to the chamber-clearing or dump subsequence, step 560, thetrap automatically turns the motor on to rotate the killing chamber anddump the dispatched body, step 562. According to a preferred embodiment,the motor is operated for about two seconds to rotate the killingchamber 180 degrees from the home position to the dump position. Aftertwo seconds, the trap checks to see whether the dump limit switch isclosed, step 564. If not, the trap goes to the return chambersubsequence, step 666.

If the dump limit switch is closed, step 564, the motor is turned off,step 566, and the catch counter is incremented by one, step 568. Theforward counter, which tracks the forward rotation of the killingchamber, is also incremented, step 570, to indicate that the chamber hasbeen rotated forwardly from the home position and is now in the dumpposition. The trap then checks whether an impedance within the targetrange remains across the plates, step 572. If not, the trap clears theforward counter, step 573, and goes to the return chamber subsequence,step 666. If the impedance does remain across the plates, however, thetrap goes directly to the return chamber subsequence, step 666, and theforward counter is not cleared.

Upon entry into the return chamber subsequence, step 580, the motor isdisabled and reversed to rotate the killing chamber from the dumpposition to the home position, step 582. According to a preferredembodiment, the motor is disabled for about 4 seconds and, by applyingvoltage of opposite polarity, is reversed for about two seconds torotate the killing chamber 180 degrees back to the home position. Aftertwo seconds, the reverse counter is incremented, step 584, to indicatethat the chamber has been rotated rearwardly from the dump position andis now back in the home position. The trap then checks to see whetherthe home limit switch is closed, step 586.

If the home limit switch is not closed, step 586, the trap checkswhether the reverse counter is equal to two, step 588. If it is equal totwo, this indicates that the trap has already proceeded through thechamber-clearing or dump subsequence twice but the killing chamber isnot able, for some reason, to return to the home position. In thissituation, the motor is turned off, step 590, and the trap enters anerror mode, step 592.

If the reverse counter is not equal to two, i.e., is only one, thisindicates that the trap has undergone only one dump subsequence. In thissituation, the motor is turned off, step 594, and the trap returns, step596, to the chamber-clearing or dump subsequence, step 560, for a secondtime.

If the home limit switch is closed, step 586, the motor is turned off,step 700, and the reverse counter, which tracks the backward rotation ofthe killing chamber, is reset, step 702, to indicate that the chamberhas been rotated rearwardly from the dump position and is now in thehome position. The trap then checks whether the forward counter isgreater than one, step 704. If it is greater than one, this indicatesthat the trap has already undertaken two dump subsequences withoutremoving the dead carcass from the killing plates. The trap then entersan error mode, step 706.

If the forward counter is not greater than one, step 704, the trap goes,step 708, to the check for kill subsequence, step 540. As alreadydiscussed, the trap then checks for the target impedance and, ifpresent, initiates a dump cycle. If this second dump cycle issuccessful, the forward counter will be cleared and, after anotherreturn chamber subsequence, followed by an impedance check, the trapwill return to the main operating sequence. If the second dumpsubsequence is not successful in removing the carcass, the forwardcounter will be incremented to two and the trap will enter the errormode following the next return chamber subsequence.

Upon entry into the error mode, step 710, the high voltage circuit andmotor are disabled, step 712. The red LED blinks on a predeterminedbasis, step 714, such as once every second, and the power to the trapmust be cycled to reset the trap. Resetting the trap clears the catchcounter and clears the reverse counter, step 716.

One advantage of the present invention over alternate methods that mightbe undertaken to clear the killing chamber is that the chamber-clearingmechanism of the trap as disclosed herein is automatically activated tomove a single mouse at a time, regardless of how many mice have beencaught since the bin was last emptied. This reduces the energy needed toclear the chamber and helps to ensure reliable and cost-effectiveoperation. Other advantages include easy access to the enclosure forcleaning and, since the chamber assembly is inverted shortly after themouse has been killed, the time for urine and feces to accumulate on theplates 303 is minimized. Inversion of the chamber assembly alsoencourages fouling elements to fall away from the plates, furtherreducing the chances of plate fouling.

In use, a mouse climbs the stairs 101 of the base 20 to enter theenclosure 301 through the entrance 306. Upon contacting both the twospaced electrocuting plates 303 a and 303 b furthest from the entrance306, a killing cycle is initiated as described in the '999 patent andthe mouse is electrocuted in the enclosure. If a second mouse followedthe first mouse in, the second mouse is also electrocuted throughautomatic activation of the third plate 303 c once the killing cycle wasinitiated as previously described. Upon completion of the killing cycle,the power-driven rotating assembly 70 is automatically activated toinitiate a chamber-clearing dump sequence during which the chamberassembly is first rotated to an upside-down orientation to allow themouse to fall from the enclosure by gravity into the bin 801 below thechamber assembly. The power-driven rotating assembly 70 then reverses toreturn the chamber assembly 60 to its upright position and complete thedump sequence.

FIGS. 15A through 15F are perspective views from the rear of the trap,without the roof assembly, illustrating the dump sequence of the chamberassembly. It is noted that while FIGS. 15B-15F show the bracket 330rotating with the chamber assembly, in fact the bracket 330 does notrotate but remains in the position shown in FIG. 15A throughout the dumpsequence. Hence, the chamber assembly rotates on bearing surfacesdefined by the outer surface of the first tubular element 309 and plainbearing 319 in concave bearing surface 203, and the outer surface oftubular element 312 and plain bearing 317 as previously disclosed.Sectional perspective and end views of the trap going through a dumpsequence are respectively provided in FIGS. 16A through 16E and FIGS.17A through 17D.

The underside of the roof assembly 50 with the chamber assembly 60 inthe dump position is illustrated in FIG. 18.

To prevent mice from entering the bin 801 through the entranceway 206when the chamber assembly 60 is in the dump position, the alternativeembodiment roof assembly 51 is provided with an access control mechanismsuch as a door 208 to block the entranceway 206. According to thisalternative embodiment, the door 208 is pivotally mounted to the rooftop 201 as shown in FIGS. 10D and 10E. The bottom 848 of the door issufficiently heavy that the door, in response to gravity, has a naturaltendency to be oriented in a generally vertical position when the trapis oriented on a horizontal surface for use. However, the back of thedoor 208 has a cam-shaped surface 850 that, when the chamber assembly 60is ready for use in the home position as shown in FIGS. 19A, 20A and20B, is contacted by the outer wall 61 of the enclosure 301. Thiscontact pushes the door 208 up and keeps the door in the fully-openedposition as long as the chamber remains in the home position. When thechamber 60 rotates toward the dump position, however, the cam surface isprogressively released and gravity acting on the door 208 causes it topivot downwardly, as shown in FIGS. 19B and 20C-20F, toward thevertical, closed position shown in FIG. 19C. Upon completion of the dumpsequence, the chamber counter-rotates back to the home position and,when such counter-rotation is nearly complete, the outer wall 61 of theenclosure 301 again comes into contact with and rides along thecam-shaped surface 850 on the back of the door to pivot the door 208back to the fully-opened position.

While the access control mechanism is disclosed as being a door movableby gravity, in the case of a door other means of biasing the same to theclosed position when the chamber assembly rotates to the dump positioncould also be used such as springs, magnets, etc., as would beunderstood by persons of ordinary skill. More broadly, structures otherthan a “door” which are capable of discouraging or preventing mouseentry into the trap could function as access control mechanisms inaccordance with the intent of this aspect of the present invention andare intended to fall within the scope thereof. For example, the outerwall of the killing chamber could be molded to include a blockingelement that would move into position to cover the entranceway from theinside upon rotation of the chamber.

While the chamber clearing mechanism has been fully described only inconnection with the embodiment of the power-driven rotating assembly 70,other embodiments of the chamber clearing mechanism are alsocontemplated. For example, instead of rotating the killing chamber, thechamber clearing mechanism could be embodied to include a trap door inthe floor of the killing chamber that would be electrically ormagnetically controlled to swing downwardly to allow the dead mouse todrop into the collecting bin below the killing chamber. As anotherexample, the killing chamber and the collecting bin could be arrangedside-by-side as opposed to one on top of the other, with a swingabledividing wall separating the two. Following activation of the highvoltage circuit and the killing of a mouse, a chamber clearing mechanismcoupled to the dividing wall and including a sweeping element could beautomatically activated to swing the bottom of the wall toward or awayfrom the killing chamber with the sweeping element then movinghorizontally across the floor of the killing chamber to push the deadbody over to the collecting bin. If the killing chamber and collectingbin floors are substantially even, the trap could be made without stairsfor entry. In this case, the dividing wall would preferably swing towardthe killing chamber to prevent interference between the wall and anydead mice already pushed into the collecting bin. However, if thestaired approach of the invention as described herein were maintained,the floor of the collecting bin would be lower than the killing chamberfloor. This two-level configuration would allow the dividing wall toswing either direction and enable a greater number of mice to becollected, just as in the preferred embodiment fully set forth herein.

Accordingly, the present invention is also directed to a method ofelectrocuting and collecting multiple mice with a trap having a killingchamber with electrocuting plates, a high voltage output circuit, anautomatic chamber clearing mechanism, an access control mechanism and acollection area. The method includes the steps of sensing a mouse on theelectrocuting plates and, in response thereto, activating the highvoltage output circuit for a specified killing cycle during which highvoltage is directed to the electrocuting plates. Upon completion of thekilling cycle, the method includes sensing the continued presence of amouse in the killing chamber as representative of a dead mouse, inresponse to which the chamber clearing mechanism is automaticallyactivated to transfer the dead mouse from the killing chamber into thecollection area. At the same time, the access control mechanism isautomatically activated to prevent another mouse from accessing the trapwhen the chamber clearing mechanism is activated. Following transfer ofthe dead mouse, the chamber clearing mechanism automatically returns toa home position for a next mouse, and the access control mechanism isautomatically reset upon return to the home position to allow access tothe trap by a next mouse. The method steps can be repeated on anautomated basis for multiple mice without any manual resetting of thetrap being required.

According to an alternative preferred method set forth in the flow chartof FIGS. 21A and 21B, the present invention also includes a modifiedmethod of electrocuting and collecting multiple mice with a trap havinga killing chamber with electrocuting plates, a high voltage outputcircuit, an automatic chamber clearing mechanism, an access controlmechanism and a collection area. The method steps in common with thoseset forth in FIGS. 14A and 14B will not be discussed here as they remainthe same.

According to the modified method, at high output, step 530, a highoutput voltage killing cycle, step 632, is initiated when a mouse issensed in the trap during which high voltage is directed to theelectrocuting plates. Upon completion of the first killing cycle,however, the method proceeds with a second killing cycle, step 632,after a specified time period, such as five seconds, has elapsedfollowing the first killing cycle. This second killing cycle isinitiated without first checking for continued resistance and thusoccurs regardless of whether the chamber is occupied. Upon completion ofthe second killing cycle, the chamber clearing mechanism isautomatically activated to complete the dump sequence, step 634, totransfer the dead mouse from the killing chamber into the collectionarea.

After the dump cycle, the method goes to the return chamber subsequence,step 580. Upon entry into the return chamber subsequence, step 580, themotor is disabled and reversed to rotate the killing chamber from thedump position to the home position, step 582. After a set period such astwo seconds, the reverse counter is incremented, step 584, to indicatethat the chamber has been rotated rearwardly from the dump position andis now back in the home position. The trap then checks to see whetherthe home limit switch is closed, step 586.

If the home limit switch is not closed, step 586, the method proceeds asset forth in FIG. 14B, starting at step 588.

If the home limit switch is closed, step 586, the motor is turned off,step 700, and the reverse counter, which tracks the backward rotation ofthe killing chamber, is reset, step 950, to indicate that the chamberhas been rotated rearwardly from the dump position and is now in thehome position. The trap then checks whether the forward counter isgreater than one, step 704. If it is greater than one, this indicatesthat the trap has already undertaken two dump subsequences withoutremoving the dead carcass from the killing plates. The trap then entersan error mode, step 706.

If the forward counter is not greater than one, step 704, the trap goes,step 952, to the Display Catch Alert LED, step 960. If the catch counteris not greater than zero, step 544, the trap goes back to the mainoperating sequence, step 546. If the catch counter is greater than zero,step 544, the green LED blinks on a predetermined basis, step 548, suchas one blink every three seconds for seven days, and the trap returns,step 549, to the main operating sequence, step 510. The flashing greenLED allows the user to monitor the likely presence of dead mice in thetrap while the trap is still operational.

The foregoing descriptions and drawings should be considered asillustrative only of the principles of the invention. The invention maybe configured in a variety of shapes and sizes and is not limited by thedimensions or configuration of the preferred embodiment. Therefore, itis not desired to limit the invention to the specific examples disclosedor the exact construction and operation shown and described. Rather, allsuitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, fallingwithin the scope of the invention.

1. An electronic mouse trap comprising: a base having an electronics andmotor area and a bin area; a roof assembly mounted to the base; anelevated chamber assembly rotatably mounted between the base and theroof assembly, said chamber assembly having a killing chamber that ispositioned above the bin area, said chamber assembly when in a homeposition configured to provide a mouse with access to said killingchamber and to initiate a killing cycle; a power-driven rotatingassembly configured, upon completion of the killing cycle, to activateand rotate the chamber assembly to a dump position so as to dump themouse into the bin area, said power-driven rotating assemblysubsequently returning said chamber assembly to the home position for anext mouse; a pathway for a mouse to access said elevated chamberassembly; and an access control mechanism for preventing access to saidpathway when said chamber is being rotated to said dump position.
 2. Thetrap as set forth in claim 1, wherein said access control mechanism is adoor pivotally mounted to said roof assembly.
 3. The trap as set forthin claim 2, wherein said door pivots from an opened position to a closedposition in response to gravity when the killing chamber is rotatedtoward the dump position.
 4. The trap as set forth in claim 3, whereinsaid door has a cam-shaped back surface that contacts an outer wall ofsaid killing chamber when said killing chamber is in the home positionto push the door into the opened position, rotation of said killingchamber to the dump position moving said outer wall away from said doorto allow said door to close by gravity.
 5. The trap as set forth inclaim 4, wherein when said killing chamber rotates back to the homeposition, said killing chamber outer wall contacts and rides along saidcam-shaped back surface of said door to move said door back to saidopened position in the home position.
 6. The trap as set forth in claim5, wherein said power-driven rotating assembly rotates one-half turn inone direction to dump the mouse and then rotates one-half turn in theopposite direction to return said chamber assembly to the home position.7. The trap as set forth in claim 6, wherein said chamber assembly inrotating from said home position to said dump position coversapproximately 180 degrees.
 8. The trap as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid chamber assembly includes electrocuting plates in said chamber,said killing cycle including activation of said plates for a set timeafter which said chamber is rotated to dump a dead mouse therefrom. 9.The trap as set forth in claim 8, wherein said roof assembly includes aplurality of downwardly depending baffles that extend into the killingchamber to restrict vertical movement of a mouse above said plates. 10.An electronic mouse trap for electrocuting and collecting multiple micecomprising: a base having a collection area; a roof assembly mounted tothe base and having an entranceway with an associated door movablebetween an opened position and a closed position to open and close saidentranceway, respectively; a chamber assembly rotatably mounted betweenthe roof assembly and the base and having a killing chamber that ispositioned above the collection area, said chamber assembly when in ahome position configured to provide a mouse with access to said killingchamber through said entranceway and to initiate a killing cycle; and apower-driven rotating assembly configured, upon completion of thekilling cycle and killing of a mouse, to automatically activate androtate the chamber assembly to a dump position so as to dump the mousefrom said chamber assembly into the collection area, said door moving tosaid closed position upon rotation of said chamber assembly toward saiddump position to prevent mice from passing through said entranceway,said power-driven rotating assembly subsequently returning said chamberassembly to the home position and said door moving to said openedposition to provide a next mouse with access to the killing chamber. 11.The trap as set forth in claim 10, wherein said door is pivotallymounted to said roof assembly and moves to said closed position inresponse to gravity.
 12. The trap as set forth in claim 11, wherein saiddoor has a cam-shaped back surface that contacts an outer wall of saidkilling chamber when said killing chamber is in the home position topush the door into the opened position, said outer wall moving away fromsaid door upon rotation of said killing chamber toward the dump positionto allow said door to close by gravity.
 13. The trap as set forth inclaim 12, wherein when said killing chamber rotates back to the homeposition, said killing chamber outer wall contacts and rides along saidcam-shaped back surface of said door to move said door back to saidopened position when said killing chamber is in the home position. 14.The trap as set forth in claim 13, wherein said power-driven rotatingassembly rotates one-half turn in one direction to dump the mouse andthen rotates one-half turn in the opposite direction to return saidchamber assembly to the home position.
 15. The trap as set forth inclaim 14, wherein said chamber assembly in rotating from said homeposition to said dump position covers approximately 180 degrees.
 16. Thetrap as set forth in claim 10, wherein said chamber assembly includeselectrocuting plates in said chamber, said killing cycle includingactivation of said plates for a set time after which said chamber isrotated to dump a dead mouse therefrom.
 17. The trap as set forth inclaim 16, wherein said roof assembly includes a plurality of downwardlydepending baffles that extend into the killing chamber to restrictvertical movement of a mouse above said plates.
 18. An electronic mousetrap for electrocuting and collecting multiple mice comprising: ahousing having a killing chamber and a collection area, said killingchamber including electrocuting plates; a power source associated withsaid housing to activate said plates upon sensing of a mouse therein fora specified killing cycle; a power-driven clearing mechanism configured,upon completion of the killing cycle and killing of a mouse, toautomatically rotate said killing chamber to a dump position to transfersaid dead mouse from said killing chamber into said collection area,said power-driven clearing mechanism subsequently returning to a homeposition for a next mouse; and an access control mechanism operable toenable and disable access to said trap by mice, said access controlmechanism enabling access when said killing chamber is in said homeposition and disabling access when said killing chamber is out of saidposition.
 19. A method of electrocuting and collecting multiple micewith a trap having a killing chamber with electrocuting plates, a highvoltage output circuit, an automatic chamber clearing mechanism, anaccess control mechanism, and a collection area comprising: sensing amouse on said electrocuting plates; activating said high voltage outputcircuit in response to said sensing for a specified killing cycle duringwhich high voltage is directed to said electrocuting plates;automatically activating said chamber clearing mechanism to transfersaid dead mouse from said killing chamber into said collection area;automatically activating said access control mechanism to prevent accessto said trap by a next mouse when said chamber clearing mechanism isactivated; automatically returning said chamber clearing mechanism to ahome position for a next mouse; and automatically resetting said accesscontrol mechanism upon return to said home position to allow a nextmouse to access said trap.